E u g e n k f



-uiten -taten @anni @Hita EUGENE FON'IANE, OF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA.

Letters Patent Aro. 76,067, :lated arch 31, 1858.

IMPROVED CATTLE-cin.

'lO ALL'WHOBI IT MAY CONCERN2` Be it known that EUGENE FONTAINE, of Fort- Wayne, in the count-y of Allen, and State of. Indiana, have invented a new and improved Cattle-Car; and I do hereby declare thatl the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the samerei`orence being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification. I

This invention relates to a new apri useful improvement'in cattle-cars, whereby the saine may be adapted for carrying either large or small animals. At present a car for carrying small animals, such as hogs, sheep, SLC., has a horizontal central partition, permanently fixed within the car, so that the latter has two compartments, one above -the other, in each of which the small animals may be placed, and the whole of the interior of' the car rendered available for transporting` such animals; but, in the event of one of these cars being appropriated for carrying large animals, (beeves, for instance,) the central-partition or flooring requires to be taken out, at considerable label' and expense, and when required again it is replaced at considerable expense'.

My invention consists in providing a cattle-ear with a movable partition, arranged-or applied in such a. manner that it may be raised or lowered, as required, raised up to the roof of the car, entirely ont, of the way, when large animals lare to be carried, and lowered so as to form a eentralvhorizontal ilooror partition, when small animalsare to be carried. In the accompanying sheet of drawings- Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section ot' my invention, taken in'thc line y y, iig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts. l

A represents .the body of a cattle-ear, which may be constructed in the usual or any proper maurer, and B is a horizontal partitionor platform, which is placed within the car, and is supported at each end by chains, C, which are attached, one to each corner of the plat-form, and extend up over pulleys a, at the sides of the car, and are seenred'to a shaft, D, which runs longitudinally through the upper part of the'ear, extending through the ends of thev same, and having a handle, b, at each end, for the convenience of turning it. This shaft is prevented -from turning under the weight of the partition or platform, by means of ratchets c, on the shaft, and pawls il, on the ends of the car, the pawlscatohing into the ratchets.

To the inner surface of each side of the car there is secured a slotted har, e, and these serve to support the partition or platform B, when the latter is let down to4 about the centre of the car, as shown in fig. 1. These bars have oblong slotsf in them, through whicht-he bolts g pass, which secure them to the ear, the slots admitting of the bars being moved longitudinally, in a horizontal direction, out of the way of the doors, when Vthe partition or platform is raised, and large animals are to pass through'thc doors.

When the partition or platform is raised, as shown in red in iig. 2, bars L, which arc pivoted to the under side of the platform'or partition, are turned in a direction transverse with theear-body, and their ends made to rest on the upper slats of the ear-body, said bars 72 serving to support the platform or partitiomasl shown in red in fig. 2. l g

Thus, b y thissimple arrangement, the car may, by a very simple adjustment of the'platferm, B, be adapted for carrying large or small animals. v

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patentl 1. The adjustable platform B, in combination with the pivotedbars h,'for supl'iorting said platform in the y top of the ear, and with the slotted horizontal arm e, for holding the same in position when lowered to the centr of the car, as herein shown and described.

2. The platform B, having the pivoted bars i, when adjusted by means 'ofl the single longitudinal shaft D and the chains C, as herein described, forthe purpose specified. v

EUGENE FONTAINE.

Witnesses:

W M. F. McNAMAnA,

ALEX. F. ROBERTS. 

